Liquid congealing apparatus



April 6- J. N. SALER 2,037,518

LIQUID CONGEALING APPARATUS Filed April 19, 1955 WITNESSES: INVENTOR ,w m-

June N. SAL-ER Patented Apr. 14:, 193% UNITED STATES 2,037,518 7 LIQUID CONGEALING APPARATUS v Jules N. Saler, Springfield, Mass, assignor Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 19, 1935, Serial No.,17,220

20 Claims. (01. 62-1085) 7 My invention relates to ice congealing apparatus, and particularly to ice congealing apparatus for forming ice particles suitable for table use.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved flexible metallic grid member for ice congealing apparatus.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved construction of ice congealing apparatus from which ice particles may be obtained by mechanical expedients without the application of heat.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an improved means for removing frozen particles from a flexible grid member of ice congealing apparatus.

It is another object of my invention to provide improved ice congealing apparatus, in which a removable grid member and/or a pan member in which the grid is normally disposed, are formed of'a material especially adapted for this use.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in accordance with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top view of an ice pan with a removable flexible grid member disposed therein, illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the pan and grid construction shown in Fig. 1, with portions of the pan member broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my removable flexible metallic grid member, showing the handle members in the grid flexing position.

Referring specifically to Figs. 1 and 2, numeral lI designates a shallow pan member having a rolled edge portion I2 peripherally of the open top thereof. The portion I2 is rolled over a heavy 0 wire I3 to strengthen the edge of the pan II.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, a flexible metallic grid member, generally indicated at M, is removably disposed in the pan member II, and divides the pan member into a plurality of 4 cells I5 in which ice particles of a size suitable for table use are formed. The grid structure It is formed of a thin sheet or metal I6 bent to the form shown in the drawing. The sheet I6 is bent to form a longitudinal wall I1 and a plurality of 50 transverse walls I8, the latter walls comprising two of said sheets IS in adjacent br 3 -to-back relation. The transverse walls I8 are formed by bending the sheet I6 at right angles to the first section I la of the longitudinal wall I! to extend 55 a distance corresponding to the outer extremity of the transverse grid walls I8, then doubling th sheet I6 over to extend a distance corresponding to the other extremity of the transverse grid walls I8, then doubling the sheet I6 back to extend to the plane of the longitudinal wall I1, and 5 then bending the sheet It at right angles to form the second section I'Ib of the longitudinal wall H. The bending and doubling of the sheet I6 is continued in this manner until a grid structure of desired length is formed and is preferably termi- 10 nated with a longitudinal wall section I113 The resulting structure is extremely flexible so that, when the grid structure I l is removed from the pan member I I, ice particles formedinthe cells I5 are easily removed from the grid structure by 15- flexing.

In order to facilitate removal of the grid member I 4 from the pan member II and also to facilitate removal of ice particles from the grid member, a pair of handles 20 are provided and 20 are pivotally attached at I9 to the extremities Ila, Ila: of the longitudinal wall I! through a pair of. stiflening me'mbers 2|.

In removing the grid member ll from thepan I I when ice particles are frozen therein, it is nec- 25 essary to break the ice bond between the ice par-- ticles and the metal pan member. Although the ice bond may be broken by the application of heat, such as by running warm water over the pan, I prefer to break the ice bond by mechanical so force. Therefore, whenthe handle members 20 are rotated, they coact with the pan member II, and the leverage action therebetween breaks the ice bond between the ice particles and the pan member. The handle members 20 are provided 35 with straight portions 22 which bear on the'rolled edge I2 of the pan member II, the stiffening wire I3 preventing the pan member from bending.

In order to prevent upward flexing of the grid member I4, and to impart additional strength 40 thereto, the double sheets I6 of the transverse walls I8 are spot-welded at their bottoms as shown at 23, or the sheets may be riveted together as shown at 24. When the handle members 20 are rotated to remove thegrid member II, the grid member is prevented from flexing upwardlyand the center thereof is, therefore, raised the same distance out-of the pan as the ends thereof, thus positively breaking the ice bond from all parts of the pan member II. In addition, the spot-welds or rivets prevent extreme flexing of the grid member I4, which might result in cracking of the metal sheet I6. However, the grid member is still sufliciently flexible so that ice particles are ,easilyremoved therefrom after it has been removed from the pan member and the grid member flexed. An important feature of my invention resides in the fact that, after the grid member I4 is removed from the pan member H, the grid member may be easily flexed by grasping the handle members 20 when in the position shown in Fig. 3 to impart flexing motion to the grid member. The handles multiply the force applied to the grid structure to remove ice particles therefrom, and also make it unnecessary to grasp the coldand wet grid structure to flex the same. Obviously such an arrangement may be used with any flexible grid formed of other materials.

The pan member II and the grid member are both preferably formed of stainless steel. The grid member is formed of this material because it may be formed in thin strips and may be bent and folded, as described, without cracking or breaking, to form a flexible metallic grid. Furthermore, stainless steel is strong, non-corrosive, and is a good conductor of heat.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided improved ice congealing apparatus from which ice particles may be easily obtained without the use of heat, and that I have provided for forming the pan member and/or the grid member of a material particularly adapted for such use. Furthermore, I have provided handle means on a flexible grid to facilitate flexing of the grid, which handle means also may function to remove the grid member from the pan member, so that frozen liquid may be obtained easily from the ice congealing apparatus.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A removable grid member for an ice tray comprising a strip of flexible metal bent to form a longitudinal wall member of single thickness and a plurality of transverse wall members of double thickness extending outwardly from both sides of said longitudinal wall member, and means for imparting sufiicient stiffness to the grid member to prevent flexing of said grid in one direction.

2. A removable grid for an ice tray comprising a strip of flexible metal bent to form a longitudinal wall member and a plurality of transverse wall members extending outwardly from both sides of said longitudinal wall member, said longitudinal wall member being formed of a single thickness of said material and said transverse wallmembers being formed of doubled sheets of said material in back-to-back relation, and means for imparting sufficient stiifness to the grid to prevent substantial flexing of said grid in one direction.

3. A removable grid member for an ice tray comprising a strip of flexible metal bent to form a plurality of transversely extending wall members comprising a doubled sheet of said material in back-to-back relation and a single sheet of said material connecting said transverse wall portions and forming a longitudinal wall member, and means for imparting sumcient stiffness to the grid member to prevent substantial flexing of said g id member in one direction.

4. A removable grid member for an ice tray comprising a strip of flexible metal bent to form a longitudinal wall'member comprising a single sheet of said material and a plurality of trans versely extending wall members extending outwardly from both sides of said longitudinal wall member and formed, respectively, of two sheets of said material in. back-to-back relation, and means for securing the latter two sheets together for imparting suflicient stiffness to the grid member to prevent substantial flexing of said grid member in one direction. 7

5. A removable grid for an ice tray comprising a strip of flexible metal bent to form a longitudinal wall member comprising a single sheet of said material and a plurality of transversely extending wall members extending outwardly from both sides of said longitudinal wall member and formed, respectively, of two sheets of said material in back-to-baick relation and means located in the lower portions of said latter two sheets for securing the same to each other, thereby imparting suflicient stifiness to the grid to prevent substantial flexing .of said grid in one direction.

" 6. A removable grid for an ice tray in which ice particles are to be frozen comprising a strip of flexible metal bent to form a longitudinal wall member comprising a single sheet of said material and a plurality of transversely extending wall members extending outwardly from both sides" of said longitudinal wall member and formed, respectively, of two sheets of said material in back-to-back relation, means cooperating with the gridfor lifting the grid upwardly from the tray to break the ice bond between the ice particles-and the tray, and means located in the lower and inner portions of said two sheets in back-to-back relation for securing the same to each other, thereby imparting sufficient stiffness to the grid member to prevent substantial flexing of said grid in one direction.

7. Apparatus for forming ice particles comprising a tray member and a removable flexible metal grid member, said grid member being rigid when force is applied at the ends thereof to remove the grid member from the tray member, a

pair of handles pivotally connected to one of said members and being rotatable to engage with the other of said members so as to provide a lever system to simultaneously raise both ends of the grid member out of the tray member and break the ice bond between the ice particles and the tray member.

8. Apparatus for forming ice particles comprising a pan member, a removable flexible metal grid member disposed in the pan member and comprising a strip of flexible material bent to form a longitudinal wall member of singlethickness and a plurality of wall members of double thickness extending outwardly from both sides of said longitudinal wall member, handle members pivoted at both ends of the grid member and being rotatable to coact with the tray member to provide a lever system to lift the grid member out of the tray member and break the ice bond be-v tween the tray member and the ice particles frozen therein, and means for imparting sufficient stiffness to the grid member to prevent substantialflexing of the grid member in an upward direction.

9. In liquid congealing apparatus, the combination of a horizontally extending and substantially rigid pan structure, a flexible metallic grid structure removably disposed in the pan structure a,osv,s1a and dividing the latter mm a. plurality of cells,

means embodied in the flexible grid structure for rendering the. same substantially rigid when moved in an upward direction and handle means attached at .each endv of the grid structure. at least'one of said handle means being movable into abutting relation with the panstructure for effecting removal of the grid structure from; the pan structure and both of said handle means being effective for transmitting flexing motion to the gridstructure after its removal from the pan structure.

10. In liquid congealing apparatus, the combination of a substantially rigid and horizontally extending pan structure, a grid structure flexible in one or more directions disposed in the pan structure and dividing the same into a plurality oi cells, gripping means disposed at opposite ends means of the grid structure and formed to. engage the pan structure, and means for attaching said gripping means to the grid structure to provide for angular movement thereof relative to the grid structure, said gripping means being angularly movable into engagementwith the pan structure for affording simultaneous lifting movement of the grid structure out of the pan structureat both ends of the grid structure, and said gripping means being eifective to transmit flexing movement tothe grid structure after removal from the pan structure.- v

11. In-liquid congealing apparatus, the combination of a horizontally extending and substantially rigid pan structure, a grid disposed in the pan structure and dividing the latter into a plurality of cells for forming frozen solids, said grid structure being substantially rigid when movedzontal wall and substantially vertically extending side and end walls, a'g id structure flexible at least inpart and removably disposed in the pan structure, said "grid structure embodying a plurality of vertically extending walls for dividing the pan structure into a plurality of cells, handles disposed at the ends of the grid structure and means for pivotally attaching said handles to the grid structure, said handles being adjustableto a position inwardly towards each other on top of the grid structure as well as to a positionoutwardly from each other projecting beyondthe grid and pan structure andin abutting relation, respectively, with the end walls of the latter for enacting removal of the grid structure from the pan structure, said handles being removable from the pan as a unitary structure with the grid structure for transmitting flexing movement thereto.

13. In apparatus for forming ice particles comprising a tray member and a removable flexible; grid member, apair of handles pivotally connected to said grid member and being rdtatable to engage with the pan member to provide a lever system to raise both ends of the grid member out being removable fromv the pan structure movably embodied in the grid structure for rendering the same rigid upon the application of force at a iongitudinal end thereoftox move the grid strucor the tray member and break the ice bond bea tween the ice particles and the tray member, said handles thereafter being eflective to transmit flexing motion to the grid member to remove the ice particles from the grid member.

14. In liquidcongeallng apparatus, the combination of a pan structure having a bottom horizontal wall and substantiallyvertically extending side and end walls, a grid structure flexible in at least one direction and removably disposed in the pan structure, said grid structure embodying a longitudinally extending vertical wall and a plurality of vertical walls extending transversely of the longitudinally. extending wall, for dividing the pan structure into a plurality of cells, handles disposed at the ends of the grid structure, and means for pivotally attaching said'handles to the ,grid structure, said handles being adjustable to a position inwardly towards each other ontop of the grid structure as well as to a position outwardly from each other projecting beyond the respectively, with the end walls of the latter for grid and pan structures and in abutting relation,

etiecting removal of the grid structure from the pan structure, said handles being removable from the pan as-a unitary structure with the grid structure for transmitting flexing movement thereto.

15. In liquid congealing apparatus, the combinationof a pan structure having a bottom horizontal wall and substantially vertical extending side and end walls, a grid structure flexible in at least one direction removably disposed in. the

pan structure, handles attached to opposite ends of the grid structure and angularly movable to engage with the end walls of the pan structure.

said end walls forming fulcrum's and said handles forming levers coactingwith said fulcrums to raise the grid structure from the pan structure,.

and said handles being removable from the pan structure with the grid structure for transmitting flexing mr f'ment to'the grid structure after removal from we pan structure.

16. In liquid congealing apparatus, the combination of a pan structure having a bottom hori-- zontal'wall and substantially vertically-extending side and end walls, a grid structure embodying longitudinally and transverse dividing walls removably disposed in the pan structure, means embodied in the raid structure for rendering the same rigid upon the application of force at a longitudinal end thereof to move an end oi the grid structure upwardly out of the pan structure, the longitudinal wall of said grid structure being readily deformable upon the application of force in other directions, and handle means engageable with the pan structure for removingthe grid structure from the pan structure, said handle means being attached to and removable with the grid structure for transmitting deformation movement to the grid structure after its removal from' the pan structure. 1 1

ture upwardly out of the pan structure, said grid structure being readily deformable upon the ap-' plication of force in other directions. and handles attached to each endof the grid structure, at

least one of said handles being engageable with the pan structure for removing the grid structure from the pan structure and both of said handles being removable with the grid structure for transmitting flexing movement to, the grid structure after its removal from the'pan strucently flexible in various directions and dependent entirely for its flexibility upon elasticity of the material of which it is composed, handles attached to the respective ends of the grid member, at least one of said handles being engageable with the tray member for raising the grid member relative to the tray member, and bodied in the grid member for effecting a rigid condition of the grid member upon the application of raising forces at an end thereof by said handle, said handles being removable with the grid member and both handles being effective for transmitting flexing movements to the grid member to separate the ice particles from the grid member.

19. A receptacle for producing ice particles comprising a pan and a grid structure flexible in I 1 part and dividing said pan into four corner cells and a series of intermediate cells disposed in means 6111-.

rows and extending between said corner cells, said grid structure emboding a longitudinal, vertically disposed wall and a plurality of vertically disposed walls extending transversely from the longitudinal wall on opposite sides thereof, and

handles attached to the ends of the longitudinal wall, at least one of said handles being formed to engage the pan to provide a lever system to raise the grid structureout of the pan and to break the ice bond between the ice particles and the pan, both of said handles thereafter being effective to transmit flexing motion to the grid structure to remove the ice particles from the grid structure.

20. A receptacle for producing ice particles comprising a pan and a grid structure flexible in part and dividing said pan into four corner cells and a series of intermediate cells disposed in rows and extending between said corner cells, said gr'd structure embodying a longitudinal,

vertically disposed wall and a plurality of verhandle attached to an end of the grid structure and engageable with the pan for raising the grid structure from the pan, said handle being thereafter effective to transmit flexing movement to I10 the grid structure.

JULES N. SALER. 

